Amalgamated Union Of Public Employees

The eligibility for each class of members are as follows:

Honorary membership of the Union may be conferred in recognition of distinguished service to the Trade Union Movement in a national representative capacity over a period of years. It may be conferred upon ex-members of the Union who are no longer eligible for membership or upon persons who have not at any time been eligible for membership of the Union.

(d)

spouses and children of Ordinary Members or Ordinary (General) Members of this Union so long as they have attained 12 years of age and are not eligible for the Ordinary Membership or Ordinary (General) Membership of this Union or any other trade union;

spouses and children of Ordinary Members and Ordinary (General) Members who are already Associate Members, in accordance with sub-paragraph (i) to paragraph (d) above, shall be allowed to continue their associate membership when the member dies, or when the member is no longer eligible for Ordinary or Ordinary (General) Membership of this Union but has immediately re-joined as an Associate Member in accordance with sub-paragraph (iii) to paragraph (d) below;

formerly Ordinary or Ordinary (General) Members of this Union who are permanently or temporarily precluded from continuing as members of this Union because of a change in place and/or status of their employment and are not eligible for membership of any other trade union.

Each applicant for membership shall sign an application form which shall be submitted to the Executive Council for approval. The acceptance of such application by the Executive Council shall confer on each member all the rights and privileges of membership of the Union subject to the provisions of this Constitution.

The Executive Council shall decide whether to accept or reject any application for membership without assigning any reason therefore. The decision of the Executive Council shall be final.

The Executive Council may require a successful applicant for ordinary membership who fails to give a satisfactory explanation for any undue delay in applying for membership of this Union to pay such special entrance fee in addition to the normal entrance fee and comply with such other condition(s) as the Executive Council deems fit to impose.

When a member's employment status changes due to a change of jobs or other reasons, instead of terminating his membership, the Executive Council may transfer the member from Ordinary Membership to Ordinary (General) Membership and vice-versa, and to transfer the member from this Union to another NTUC affiliated union so as to enable him to continue to remain as a union member and to enjoy the benefits thereof. The power of the Executive Council to effect the said transfer may be delegated to the NTUC which is the central co-ordinating body for effecting the transfer of union members among NTUC affiliated unions. Nothing herein contained shall effect the right of a member to object to a transfer if he does not agree with it whereupon his membership with this Union shall cease when his employment status changes.

A member who is transferred under Rule 10.1 from Ordinary Membership to Ordinary (General) Membership and vice-versa shall, only for the purpose of enjoying the core welfare benefits administered by the NTUC for the benefit of all affiliated unions be deemed to continue as a member without any break in membership and shall immediately upon the said transfer taking place, be subjected to all the rules stipulated under this Constitution which are applicable to the respective category of membership he was transferred to.

A member who is transferred from another NTUC affiliated union to this Union under Rule 10.1 shall only for the purpose of enjoying the core welfare benefits administered by the NTUC for the benefit of all NTUC affiliated unions, have his length of membership with the previous union recognized by this Union and shall immediately upon the transfer taking place be bound by this constitution. Nothing herein contained shall effect the power of the Executive Council to reject the transfer without having to assign any reasons whatsoever.

The Executive Council may at its discretion delegate such of its functions and powers it deems necessary to any department of NTUC or any agency that the NTUC may from time to time establish or appoint for administering the Ordinary or Ordinary (General) Membership, including transferring members from one Membership List to another, or from one union to another, processing of membership applications, collecting subscription fees or other levies and administering their core welfare benefits' claims under the NTUC Seamless Membership Scheme and may at any time revoke the delegation in full or part thereof.

The Executive Council shall have the power to make arrangements for the deductions of subscriptions, contributions and levies and any arrears in respect thereof payable under these rules from members' salaries or wages and the remittance of the same to the Union by the respective employers of the members.

The Executive Council shall decide on the mode of collection of subscriptions, contributions and Ievies and any arrears in respect thereof payable by members and any decision reached by the Executive Council shall be final and binding on all members.

Where the deductions of unions subscriptions, contributions and levies and any arrears is through the Check-off system, then no member shall have the right to advise the employer directly or indirectly or to take any steps whatsoever to stop the deductions of the same except through and with the approval of the Executive Council which approval shall not be unreasonably withheld.

With effect from 1 January 2006, subscription fee payable by Ordinary Members and Ordinary (General) Members shall be $9 per month.

Notwithstanding Rule 12.4 the Executive Council shall have the power to revise the prevailing rates of entrance fees or monthly or yearly subscription for the purpose of giving effect to any resolution of NTUC’s Central Committee in relation thereto as long as the Union is affiliated to the NTUC. Such revision shall be deemed to have been duly adopted by a Delegates’ Conference of the Union in accordance with Rule 46(g) and shall, after registration with the Registrar of Trade Unions, be circulated to members for their information.

For the purpose of paying the Union’s affiliation fee to the Singapore Labour Foundation (SLF) every Ordinary Member and Ordinary (General) Member shall pay a yearly subscription fee of such amount as shall be determined by the Executive Committee from time to time in accordance with the advice of the NTUC Central Committee.

Every Ordinary Member and Ordinary (General) Member shall pay a levy equivalent to one month's membership subscription fee which shall be deducted from their annual wage supplement and/or annual bonus to be paid to the NTUC which shall be utilized to provide such benefits to union members which the NTUC Central Committee deems fit.

If any of the members of an ordinary affiliate or a constituent trade union thereof are granted by their respective employers an annual bonus or annual wage supplement or any other annual payment of not less than one month's basic remuneration, the affiliate or the constituent union thereof shall pay in addition to the 12 monthly affiliation fees per year a supplementary affiliation fee but only in respect of members thereof who are granted such annual bonus, annual wage supplement or other annual payment.

Any member whose name is removed from the membership record of the Union for failure to pay subscriptions, contributions or levies or who has resigned from membership of the Union shall not be re-admitted except on payment of all arrears due in accordance with Rules 17.1 and 17.2. Any ordinary member whose membership has been terminated shall have the right of appeal to the next Triennial Delegates’ Conference. The decision of the Triennial Delegates’ Conference shall be final.

If a check-off arrangement, GIRO scheme or any other arrangement prescribed by the Executive Council is in force in respect of whatever monthly or yearly fees, levy or any other fees or contributions payable by members, any failure by a member to authorise in writing or otherwise to permit such check-off, GIRO deduction or any other prescribed arrangement shall have the same effect as a failure to pay monthly or yearly fees or levy under Rule 13.1 notwithstanding any tender of payment of such fees or levy direct to the Union.

Each member shall be given a registration number and a membership card.

Membership Cards shall be the property of the Union and must be given up within a week by anyone ceasing to be a member from any cause whatsoever.

Any loss of membership card must be reported either to the General Secretary or to the Branch Secretary who will then take the necessary action to issue a replacement.

Any member, in the opinion of the Executive Council, found acting in a manner against the interests of the Union and/or in contravention of any of these rules may be suspended for a period not exceeding twelve months or expelled from the Union.

Any Branch may if it deems it necessary in the interests of the Union recommend for expulsion of a member of the Branch concerned to the Executive Council by submitting reasons thereof. The Executive Council if it decides that the reasons given by the Branch warrant the expulsion of the member concerned shall inform the member of the reasons for the expulsion and of the decision of the Executive Council.

In every case the Ordinary Member shall have and be advised of his right of appeal to the Triennial Delegates' Conference. The decision of the Triennial Delegates' Conference shall be final.

A member may resign after giving in writing one month's notice of resignation and paying all fees and levy up to the effective date of his resignation, except that if such fees and levy are paid by way of check-off/GIRO the notice of resignation shall not be less than 3 months unless the Executive Council expressly decides otherwise.

When any person previously a member of the Union and whose membership had previously lapsed through arrears of subscriptions, contributions or levies, applies for re-admission, the Branch Secretary to whom application has been made shall forward the applicant's name and particulars to the General Secretary to ascertain whether there is any reason why he should not be re-admitted to the Union. If nothing is known to his discredit, he may be re-admitted by the Executive Council to membership subject to Rule 17.2.

Should any dispute arise between any member and any officer of the Union respecting the construction of these Rules or any additions or alterations to them or any point upon which the Rules are silent the dispute shall be referred to the Executive Council and failing a satisfactory settlement of the question by the Executive Council, such dispute shall be referred to the next Triennial Delegates' Conference whose decisions shall be final.

Should any dispute arise between two or more Branches of the Union and agreement satisfactory to all sides cannot be reached, the subject shall be referred to the Executive Council, which shall be empowered to appoint an Arbiter whose decisions shall be final and binding to all parties of the dispute. The Arbiter so appointed must not have or have had any official connection with the officers or Branches in dispute.